A/N: Enjoy. :)

Thanks: hikauchi, Bebedora, and MaroonAngel of Darkness.

~ He was known for being the quiet one. She filled his silence nicely with with her constant talking, but he didn't mind anymore. It was almost... soothing to listen to her, even though it was often mindless chatter. ~

Q. - Quiet

It was silent in the living room, with the ticking of the clock being the only sound breaking the silence. Squall and Rinoa were sitting on the comfortable couch, the former just staring off into the distance, seemingly deep in thought. Squall didn't seem to notice that his girlfriend was looking at him from the corner of her eyes, instead of reading the glossy magazine that was lying in her lap, completely neglected, because the person next to her was much more interesting.

He was known for being the quiet one. It was old news, really. She on the other hand, filled his silence nicely with with her constant talking, but he didn't mind anymore. It was almost... soothing to listen to her, even though it was often mindless chatter.

It was kinda like having a pet, a parakeet, at home; the way it would always wistle would never make you feel alone. You'd get used to it and start appreciate the music it was making. Rinoa made him feel the same way, she would always be missed.

He knew that Rinoa was getting used to the quiet, too, and she had even grown fond of them (just like he'd grown fond of her chatting), because they were familiar and reassuring. At least, that was what he liked to think.

After a moment of silence between them, Rinoa suddenly noticed something peculiar and she turned her body to Squall.

She frowned, tilting her head to the side in confusion. "Huh, what is that?"

After reaching forward, she brushed aside his brown bangs. However, as soon as she touched his forehead with her fingertips, Squall violently jerked his head away from her touch, almost as though he'd just been electrocuted.

Rinoa pouted in a rather cute way. "Hey, I wasn't going to hurt you," she noted, feeling completely wrong footed because of his inexplicable reaction.

"Sorry..." came the terse reply, but he didn't look at her.

Okay...

"Squall, is there something wrong?" the young woman asked, worried now.

The brunet's razor sharp gaze seemed to go right through her as he replied, "I'm fine. I just... got startled by the sudden movement."

"Oh... I see."

Except that Squall never got startled by anything. He was the fearless Commander Leonhart of Balamb Garden, after all! Something just felt off, the ebony-haired beauty mused quietly. The question was what?

What the raven-haired beauty didn't know, though, was that there was something that nobody knew about Squall. Something that the brunet young man hoped nobody would ever find out. But unfortunately for him, it wouldn't stay a secret for her for that long.

Hmm... maybe if I try again? she thought.

Again, she let the tips of her finger ghost over Squall's scar, again with pretty much the same effect. This time, however, Squall grabbed her wrist in a tight hold and growled warningly, "Rinoa..."

"What?" she replied innocently, her big eyes staring at him questioningly. "Why are you so-" Rinoa's dark, chocolate-colored eyes widened in surprise and she gasped when she figured it out. "Oh my Hyne, Squall! Are you... ticklish?"

Squall blushed, but didn't reply. After all, anything he would say now would be used against him, anyway.

When he caught that unnervingly mischievous look on her face he decided that it was time to get out of the room, so he got up from the comfortable couch, ready to flee. "Stay away from me. I know what you're thinking and it's not going to happen."

"Uh-huh..." she said with a grin, taking a small step towards him.

Yes, she was definitely up to something.

"No, I'm warning you. I won't let you-" Squall started solemnly, pointing a finger at her, but he didn't finish his sentence when he bumped into the coffee table behind him. Rinoa immediately took her chance and started tickling him. At once, a rather uncharacteristic snort escaped the brunet swordsman. "Stop it!" he ordered, but unlike his recruits, Rinoa didn't care that he was a commander, so she ignored him and went on.

Eventually, after some wrestling, the man managed to pin her hands above her on the ground, pressing his body against her in such a way that no escape was possible. He had learned not to take any risks when it came to her. Angelic or not, this woman could act like a devil in disguise sometimes.

Rinoa laughed nervously. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's time for a taste of your own medicin," he said darkly, his eyes glinting dangerously.

Her eyes widened in shock. "You wouldn't dare!" she whispered.

"Oh no?" He let out a low chuckle. "Think again..."

She gulped and at that moment, Rinoa realized a little too late that maybe some secrets should have stayed just that; a secret...